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DETROIT – The Arab-American Civil Rights League and the ACLU of Michigan have announced that they will continue their lawsuit challenging the Muslim ban after a revised executive order was signed today by President Donald Trump. The revised order, which still discriminatorily prohibits the travel of some immigrants from designated Muslim-majority countries and halts the refugee resettlement program temporarily, was condemned by the organizations as a transparent attempt to continue the same policies that were already rejected by the courts as unconstitutional.

In the days after the President signed the original Muslim ban, sparking angry demonstrations across the country, ACRL filed a lawsuit that was later joined by the ACLU of Michigan on behalf of Muslim immigrants from the banned countries who were either barred or face the threat of being barred from re-entering the U.S. As a result, Judge Victoria Roberts ordered an immediate, permanent and nationwide halt to a portion of the executive order, which prohibited lawful permanent residents from the barred countries from returning to the U.S.

The organizations notified the court today that they will file an amended complaint within the next 10 days to coincide with the effective date of the revised Muslim ban.

In addition to attorneys with the ACRL and ACLU of Michigan, the plaintiffs in the case are represented by the law firm of Covington & Burling LLP.

The following are quotes from:

Rula Aoun, ACRL director: “Nobody’s fooled by this revised order—it is still an illegal and discriminatory attempt to ban Muslims. In America, we don’t target and prohibit people because of how they pray—and we don’t impose religious litmus tests on immigrants. In working with the ACLU to resist this illegal ban, we’re fighting not just for the rights of Muslims and immigrants—but for the values we all share as Americans.”

Kary Moss, ACLU of Michigan executive director: “We were able to stop the President’s first attempt at a Muslim ban precisely because the courts understood the Executive Order to be a direct attack on the fundamental principle of freedom of religion. Despite its cosmetic revisions, this new order is still a Muslim ban—and it is still unconstitutional. Further, by halting refugee resettlement, this ban also callously betrays America’s long history as a safe haven for those fleeing oppression and seeking freedom.”